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XV. The Beginning of Vacation
“Isupposeyouarelookingforwardtoyourvacation,Anne?”shesaid,astheyleftthegraveyard.
Annenodded.
“Yes....Icouldrollthewordasasweetmorselundermytongue.Ithinkthesummerisgoingtobelovely.Foronething,Mrs.MorganiscomingtotheIslandinJulyandPriscillaisgoingtobringherup.Ifeeloneofmyold‘thrills’atthemerethought.”
“Ihopeyou’llhaveagoodtime,Anne.You’veworkedveryhardthispastyearandyouhavesucceeded.”
“Oh,Idon’tknow.I’vecomesofarshortinsomanythings.Ihaven’tdonewhatImeanttodowhenIbegantoteachlastfall.Ihaven’tliveduptomyideals.”
“Noneofuseverdo,”saidMrs.Allanwithasigh.“Butthen,Anne,youknowwhatLowellsays,‘Notfailurebutlowaimiscrime.’Wemusthaveidealsandtrytoliveuptothem,evenifweneverquitesucceed.Lifewouldbeasorrybusinesswithoutthem.Withthemit’sgrandandgreat.Holdfasttoyourideals,Anne.”
“Ishalltry.ButIhavetoletgomostofmytheories,”saidAnne,laughingalittle.“IhadthemostbeautifulsetoftheoriesyoueverknewwhenIstartedoutasaschoolma’am,buteveryoneofthemhasfailedmeatsomepinchoranother.”
“Eventhetheoryoncorporalpunishment,”teasedMrs.Allan.
ButAnneflushed.
“IshallneverforgivemyselfforwhippingAnthony.”
“Nonsense,dear,hedeservedit.Anditagreedwithhim.Youhavehadnotroublewithhimsinceandhehascometothinkthere’snobodylikeyou.